A Year of Growth at Joshua Wilderness Institute

As you may have heard, I have been accepted to the Joshua Wilderness Institute for the 2025-2026 year! This is a 9-month discipleship program located in the Sequoia National Forest at Hume Christian Camps. JWI exists to disciple young adults toward loving God and His Word to set a foundation for a life worthy of the gospel. I will be living in a beautiful place at Hume Lake with 40-50 other students, taking Bible classes, learning from various speakers, going on different trips, participating in small groups and book studies, working in all the different departments of camp, and more. In the program, I hope to learn more about the bible and really have a strong standpoint on what I believe, and I want to learn how to be more disciplined in growing in my faith and being in the Word as it has been one of my struggles. I am beyond excited to see what God does in and through my time there!

One of the ways we will be applying what we learn in the building is through our service and learning trips. We take five trips throughout the program, three domestic and two international. In the United States, we participate in a formational camping trip at the beginning of the year, do work projects at Hume SoCal, and experience different cultures, service, and evangelism opportunities in Inner-City LA.

Internationally, we work alongside missionaries to practically serve and share the gospel with communities in the Dominican Republic. We then finish the year with a two-week geography and study tour of Israel (potentially Turkey instead of Israel). I am so excited to be able to see all the different places in the Bible and to have that opportunity to travel there and see the Bible come to life.

As I think through this next chapter of my life, I strongly desire my community to be a part of this journey alongside me. There are a few ways that I would love to invite you to help send me as I follow the Lord in this way.

First, I invite you to please pray for me. Please pray that Joshua will be fruitful and fulfilling, and that I have strength and courage through the challenges I might face. Your prayers mean the world to me, and I am so thankful for your partnership in this way.

Second, I invite you to help send me financially. This incredible program costs $25,000. My first payment of $5,000 is due by July 15, then $2,500 in September as well as an average of $1,800 on the 15th of every month. This includes all my classes, room and board, travel, and trips. Would you consider helping me financially?

I am so thankful for your partnership and prayers; it means a lot to me. I look forward to sharing how God uses this program for His glory and my good!

In Christ,

Christian Gonzalez